


This is a job for... Superdog!

by psychobabblers



Category: DCU, Justice League - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Mostly Krypto POV, POV Outsider, Unreliable Narrator
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-04-22
Packaged: 2019-04-08 17:00:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14109933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/psychobabblers/pseuds/psychobabblers
Summary: Batman dog-sits for Superman while he’s off planet. Krypto human-sits for Superman while he’s off planet.





	1. Chapter 1

“Are you sure it’s not too much trouble?” Clark asked for the umpteenth time. This time had a high probability to be the last, however, so Bruce just smiled slightly instead of grimacing. Superman was on his way to mediate a ceasefire on the planet Driiden and Bruce had offered to take in Krypto in the meantime. Clark brightened at the smile though, as if reassured. “I’ll see you in a few weeks then, B.”

Bruce watched in bemusement as Clark knelt so that he was eye level with Krypto, murmuring words to him that Bruce didn’t catch. The dog licked his face, which made Clark laugh, and Bruce felt an irrational pang at the sound. Batman never makes him laugh like that, Bruce thought suddenly and then felt slightly foolish. Batman wasn’t meant to bring joy to anyone.

“Have a good trip, Clark,” he said when Superman stood up again. “Try not to get into too much trouble. It would be very disruptive if I had to go rescue you.”

Superman rolled his eyes. “It’s a ceasefire, not a ‘shots fired.’ I’ll be fine.”

“I don’t trust all the intel for this op,” Bruce said, crossing his arms.

“You never trust anything,” Superman said with a grin. “We know that it’s extremely improbable that any Kryptonite would have fallen there and its sun is yellow. I’ll be back before you know it.”

* * *

When Krypto woke up in a strange den, he was momentarily disoriented, but then he remembered. His master had left him to protect his mate, and it was at his mate’s den he had been sleeping in. He breathed in the the scent of his master from the cape he had been sleeping on and was comforted for a moment by the familiar scent. Then he yawned and stretched.

Nudging open the door to the yard, Krypto let himself out to do his business. As he was trotting back toward the den, he heard running footsteps. It was the pup Dick Grayson. Krypto stopped to let him approach. The pup was carrying a ball in his hand. Krypto wagged his tail at the sight, and splayed out his front paws, inviting him to play.

The pup bared his teeth in a human smile and threw the ball.

“Go Krypto, go!” he whooped as Krypto ran after it, leaping into the air to catch it.

He brought the ball back and the pup threw it again. Krypto loved catch. They played for a long time until a voice called their names. It was the other member of the Master’s mate’s pack, Alfred. Krypto didn’t understand why Master and his mate had separate packs and dens, but it was true they were able to hold more territory this way.

Anyway Krypto liked Alfred too. He was an excellent pack member and provided a lot of delicious food. Krypto really liked to eat. He ran alongside Dick Grayson as the pup ran back to the den.

“Me and Krypto played catch! Did you see him fly?” the pup talked excitedly as they skidded into the kitchen.

Alfred frowned at the mud but Krypto could tell he wasn’t really angry because he scratched his ears. “‘Krypto and I,’” he corrected as he put food on plates.

Krypto drooled a little at the delicious smells and felt his tail start wagging as Alfred placed a bowl for him on the floor. There was a fried egg on top of the kibble. Alfred was the best!

“Where’s Bruce?” Dick Grayson asked between mouthfuls of eggs and bacon and pancakes.

“Where he always is, Master Dick,” Alfred said with a small sigh. “Will you take a plate down for him when you are finished eating?”

“You bet!” Dick said, eager to please. He wolfed down the rest of the food despite Alfred’s admonishments to eat slower and grabbed the other plate. Krypto followed him as he plunked a tune of the piano in the study and a secret door swung open. Krypto whined in surprise.

“Cool, huh?” Dick said in a whisper.

“Don’t let the dog in here,” Master’s mate said, but Krypto had already bounded down the stairs. He ran up to him where he was sitting and staring at a bunch of screens and whined.

“Sorry Bruce,” Dick said, but Krypto could tell he wasn’t actually sorry. That was okay — Krypto wasn’t sorry either. “You should eat.” Krypto barked in agreement. Master would be unhappy if he came back and found that his mate had not been eating while he was away.

“Better eat fast before Krypto steals it,” the pup said, laughing. Krypto huffed. He would never eat his food. Unless he offered it of course.

Master’s mate grumbled a bit but began eating. Krypto put his head on his lap and sighed with contentment when he wasn’t told to stop.

Eventually the pup went back up to the main den, but Krypto stayed down in the cave protecting Master’s mate. He seemed to appreciate the company, giving him head scratches and absentminded stroking. “Wonder how Clark is doing,” he muttered after awhile.  
Krypto whined at the sound of his master’s name.

“I miss him too,” Master’s mate sighed. “I don’t mind admitting it to you. I wonder why it’s so hard to say it to him when I’ve already admitted it to myself.”

Krypto agreed. Master was sometimes sad that his mate did not give him more affection. But that was just the way his mate was, and Master knew that and still loved him.

“I just have a bad feeling about this mission,” Master’s mate muttered darkly, calloused hands stroking Krypto’s ears. He panted happily, enjoying it. “And the Boy Scout thinks I’m just being paranoid.”

Krypto thumped his tail to show that he agreed. “Paranoid” was a word that Master used once in awhile to describe his mate if he was annoyed with him. But he used others much more frequently. Words like “loyal,” and “brave,” and “selfless,” and “the best man he ever knew.” Krypto liked it when his Master used those words because his voice would get soft and low and he would sound happy.

He stayed with Master’s mate as he worked until day turned to night, Alfred stopping by to bring food and drink or to pick up empty plates and cups. Then, finally, Master’s mate stretched and yawned. Krypto perked up where he was laying close to his chair. Time for patrol? He sniffed at the pieces of armor Master’s mate was pulling out and whined.

“Not you.”

Krypto ignored him and followed him to the car. “No. Stay,” Master’s mate said, pointing. “Don’t know what Clark would say if I got his dog shot on patrol.”

Krypto tilted his head and whined again. He would be fine. He was invulnerable to bullets. Master’s mate was the one who was not.

The car roared off without him and he felt guilt crushing him. What if something happened? What would Master say? He wouldn’t say anything, Krypto knew. There would just be disappointment with Krypto and crushing grief in his eyes.

He leapt up onto Master’s mate’s chair so he could study the screens better. One of them held a beacon for the car. He watched as it moved around.

“What are you doing, Krypto?” the pup asked, laughing from the top of the stairs. He ran down the stairs to stand next to him. Krypto thumped his tail in acknowledgement but continued to watch the screen. “Are you following the Batmobile signal?”

Krypto woofed.

The pup looked down. “I do that sometimes too,” he said quietly. Krypto licked his face to make him grin. It was useful to sit on chairs. No wonder humans and Master did it all the time. The pup still seemed sad after the lick so Krypto leapt out of the chair and tackled him onto the ground with more licks.

“Ahh, Krypto! Stop it!” Dick said, laughing from the floor. Krypto ran in circles around him, stopping occasionally to lick his face.

When the pup tired of roughhousing, he climbed into the big comfortable chair and watched the little blinking dot on the screen. Soon he was snoring softly.

Krypto sniffed around the cave until he found a blanket and dragged it over to drape it over the pup. He curled up at his feet, drowsily listening to the door swing open and Alfred walk down the stairs.

“Good boy, Krypto,” he whispered with a brisk pat on his head before he went back up.

Those words were echoed again when the car roared back into the cave. Incredibly, the pup barely stirred on the chair. “Hey Bruce,” he whispered sleepily. “I’m glad you’re back.” _Safe_ , Krypto added with a whine.

“Me too,” Master’s mate whispered back. He scooped up his pup and carried him up the stairs to Dick’s bedroom. Krypto padded along at his feet. Krypto knew he’d done a good job when he received no protests for hopping onto the bed. His first day guarding the Wayne den and surrounding territory had gone well. Krypto closed his eyes and went to sleep.

*

Of course the next day, everything “went to shit,” as Krypto had once heard one of his Master’s friend say. Krypto had watched the blinking dot again that night and felt alarm prickling his fur. Eventually he’d decided to fly to where the dot said Master’s mate was, so quickly so that he was barely a blur.

He’d gotten there just in time to help him take down some thugs and then help him to the car but not before the Master’s mate had gotten a beating.

Krypto growled low under his breath when he saw the mottled bruises beginning to form later in the cave. It was only the _second day_ Master was gone, and his mate had already gotten hurt on Krypto’s watch. He had his work cut out for him.


	2. Chapter 2

Krypto woke early. He was curled up over the covers on the big bed that belonged to Master’s mate. It was bright and sunny but he remembered the night before and whined. Krypto had not fully protected Master’s mate and had been hurt. When they got home he had had to scoop him up in his cape and fly him to his room. The man had grumbled the entire way, which had made Krypto sad.

He had also said, “You’re exactly like Clark,” though, which had made Krypto happy.

The bed smelled a little like his Master too. He rolled around on the bed.

A hand came out of the covers and patted him on the side. “Krypto,” a sleepy voice said. Krypto wagged his tail and bounced from excitement. “Stop that.” 

Krypto stopped bouncing and nosed under the covers. There was a yelp as his cold nose bumped into skin. He licked and there was another outraged yelp.

The covers were flipped off and his Master’s mate sat up and glared at him. Usually Krypto would feel guilty but this morning he was happy that he looked okay. Other than the bruising darkening his side. Krypto bounded forward and licked his face. He didn’t see a smile so he licked him until there was. 

“Crazy dog,” his Master’s mate muttered, but Krypto could tell he was happy. Krypto had heard others, even his Master, talk about how “grouchy” he was, but Krypto knew the secret: licking him until he gave up and smiled. Even if it was a secret smile.

There was a knock at the door. “Come in,” Master’s mate called out. 

The door was flung open to reveal the pup. “Bruce!” he shouted as he ran over to the bed. “Hey Krypto!” 

Krypto woofed in welcome. 

“Alfred told me Krypto brought you home last night,” the pup said. He scratched Krypto’s ears. Krypto wouldn’t tell anyone if his hands trembled a little as he said it.

“I had it under control,” Master’s mate said gruffly, crossing his arms.

“Suuuuure,” the pup said. Krypto barked and he laughed, suddenly mischievous. “Even Krypto doesn’t buy it.”

Master’s mate scowled but Krypto just licked his face.

“I’m glad you were there Krypto,” the pup whispered to him later after they had all gone downstairs for breakfast and some fetch outside. Breakfast and fetch were some of Krypto’s favorite things. Master’s mate had sat and watched for awhile before heading back down to the cave. Krypto stuck his cold nose in the pup’s armpit in response, making him shriek with laughter. The sadness and fear went away and Krypto ran off to find the ball again so he could fetch it.

Thankfully the next few days went by without any more late night rescues. Krypto loved it at Master’s mate’s den. Alfred gave him extra delicious meals after that awful night. The pup played with him every day after school. He did spend some time getting a good growl at the humans Master’s mate invited to his den sometime to dance and stand around in glittering clothes though. Krypto hated them. They all watched Master’s mate and wanted him for their own. Not like the way Master looked at him. Not like the way Master’s mate looked at Master. 

Krypto knew he often looked at his Master adoringly, but the way Master and his mate looked at each other was different. It was like two alpha wolves circling each other, friendly and fierce and wild, with a knowledge that went beyond love or instincts — the knowledge that they were Pack. Krypto tried to stay close to Master’s mate every day to make sure he knew that his pack wasn’t far. Well, his other pack.

“Wow Krypto really likes you,” the pup said, laughing, one day during dinner. 

Krypto thumped his tail from his spot on the floor next to Master’s mate. Bruce just shrugged a little in response.

“I do believe that dogs take after their owners,” Alfred said blandly, appearing at Master’s mate’s elbow. “More soup, sir?” 

Krypto thumped his tail again, enjoying the thread of laughter and love in the room as Master’s mate sighed. Alfred gave Krypto a brisk pat on the head as he swept back out the door. 

Krypto flew out many days to Master’s city to patrol his territory there. He always kept an ear out to make sure Master’s mate was safe though. It was one of those days when he was keeping an ear out though, that he heard it—the distinct whistle that Master used, high pitched so that humans couldn’t hear, to call to him. It repeated, fast and urgent. In a flash Krypto was speeding toward Master’s mate’s office. He landed on the roof and activated his collar’s distress signal. 

He listened for the whistle again but it didn’t come which made him whine worriedly. Where was Master’s mate. Belatedly he realized that it was possible his collar’s distress signal may only be known or recognizable to Master. He would have to fly back to the den and convince Alfred or the pup.

The pup turned out to be easy to convince, but Master’s mate wasn’t at first. Krypto listened to them argue. He was very worried and sad because he didn’t want to cause them to be angry with each other.

“There’s nothing from the Watchtower,” Master’s mate was saying. “And no emergency contact from him. His last check in was earlier this morning and he said everything was going fine.”

“Superman’s in trouble!” the pup said firmly. “I know that’s what he’s trying to tell us. You said yourself that the intel for this mission wasn’t 100% sound.” 

Master’s mate wavered, but finally gave in, possibly because he was suddenly confronted by not one but two pairs of sad eyes. “Clark does get into trouble all the time,” he said doubtfully.

The pup stayed behind but Krypto leapt onto the jet. He would have flown alongside whether or not he was allowed. “Krypto if you’re wrong about this, I’ll never hear the end of it,” Master’s mate muttered. 

Krypto gave a sharp bark. He was sure. 

They spent the rest of the flight listening for distress beacons or reports from the Watchtower that something might have gone wrong. The whistle didn’t come again, which made Krypto more worried than before. He was also having doubts now of involving Master’s mate. Master was strong and bulletproof and could fly, just like Krypto. If something had caused him to whistle for Krypto, what if he were leading Master’s mate into terrible danger? He whined softly and started a little when a gloved hand scratched his head. 

“We’ll be there soon.”

Soon came quickly as they came out of hyperspace near Driiden and were almost hit by a piece of debris as big as the Javelin. Alarms began to blare and Krypto growled at the sight of the planet through the rubble of hundreds of spacecraft. A massive hole had been blasted out of the side of it. Krypto did not like the look of it at all.

“Evasive maneuvers,” Master’s mate said grimly. The Javelin deftly wove through the clutter of twisted metal and the occasional body. “Watchtower, come in.” There was only a burst of static in response. “Looks like they’ve blocked planetwide communications, but they must have rigged it so it continues to output a normal signal pattern. These aren’t amateurs.”

Krypto growled. There was no way amateurs would have been able to overpower his Master.

“Don’t worry,” Master’s mate said. “We’ll find him.” Krypto barked in agreement. He would tear the planet apart if he had to to find his Master. He couldn’t bear the idea that they might be too late. One look at Master’s mate and Krypto could tell he felt the same. The Javelin slowly began approaching the atmosphere like other pieces of debris that got caught too close to the planet’s gravitational pull. Master’s mate was busy running various pieces of equipment and looking at the results. This practical efficiency was something Krypto really appreciated about him.

Once the jet landed, Krypto zipped into the air to see if he could get some clues into what was happening. Then he heard a shout, “Krypto, wait!” and flew back. It wouldn’t do to forget about his job to protect Master’s mate in his haste to find his Master. “The city Superman was last at is a 10 min walk away. We’ll check that out first and see if we can figure out what’s happening.”

It turned out that the radical sects of each side had conspired to keep the conflict going as they weren’t ready to let the age-old war die. They had somehow obtained or built a mind control device and had tried to force his Master to cause mass destruction. Fortunately his Master was able to resist to some degree and had sent him the alert. Krypto and Master’s mate spent a desperate three days before they managed to overpower the leader and free his Master from mind control.

“Krypto! Batman!” his Master was beaming, despite his ordeal. Krypto bounded forward and licked his face, feeling his whole body wriggling with excitement. 

Master’s mate crossed his arms. 

“Don’t say it,” his Master sighed, scratching Krypto all over. 

“I wasn’t going to say anything.”

“I can hear the ‘I told you so’ from here,” Master said, burying his face in Krypto’s neck. Krypto woofed. 

“Actually I can’t take credit. I wouldn’t even have known to come if it weren’t for Krypto,” Master’s mate said. 

They both turned to look at him and Krypto wagged his tail and bounced. His two favorite people in the world, safe and sound and together again.

“Thanks for watching him,” Superman said once they were on the Javelin on the way home with a smile. “He would’ve done okay on his own but I was afraid he’d get lonely.” 

“Any time,” Bruce said. Krypto barked, tongue lolling out. Superman smiled like he was enjoying a private joke. Krypto curled up with contentment. 

His pack was whole again.


End file.
